Politics, Potato Chips and Politics, Potato Chips and Pregnant Chads, Oh My!Pregnant Chads, Oh My!

Politics and Media Politics and Media POLS 2450 & CO/M 2480POLS 2450 & CO/M 2480

Dr. Winberg ChaiDr. Winberg Chai

The Republican The Republican GroupGroup

Campaign 2000 IssuesCampaign 2000 Issues

Elly Caress

Megan Tallon

Thomas Dahl

Campaign 2000 IssuesCampaign 2000 Issues

TaxesSocial SecurityInternet RegulationEnvironmentEducationHealth CareDefense

TaxesTaxes

Replace the five current tax brackets with four lower ones.

Double the child tax credit to $1,000.

Eliminate the marriage penalty and the death tax.

Create a permanent Research and Development credit.

Promote charitable giving. Foster capital investments and

savings.

Successes: Everyone gets a cut of the

money now. Encourage the economy to

grow. Failures: Inflation Deficits Congress is already spending a

fifth of the surplus.

Social SecuritySocial Security

Anyone receiving, or close to receiving, Social Security will not be impacted.

There should not be a tax increase.

Everyone should be free to direct a portion to personal investment.

Investment alternatives All options should be voluntary

Successes: Choice is the key. Voluntary Changes need to be made

somewhere Failures: Already to high payroll taxes Reduced benefits Public debt for future

generations.

Internet RegulationInternet Regulation

Create stricter anti- pornography regulations

Prosecute internet pornographers.

Support legislation requiring schools and libraries to have filtering technology

Regulate internet commerce to prevent illegal sales of pharmaceutical and alcohol

Successes: Keeping children from being

victims of filth Protects taxpayer privacy Failures: Stifling to web-based

companies Infringing on the right to

freedom of speech and expression

EnvironmentEnvironment

Jobs must come before conservation to remain in the open market.

Not responsible for environmental status of other nations and should stay out of enforcement policies of those nations.

Create incentives for states Rely more on local government

officials for enforcement Use the Superfund more

efficiently Consistent enforcement Environmental regulations

available for public consideration.

Successes: Prosperity and environmental

protection advance together. Market-based incentives help

develop new technologies and environmental standards.

Gives more power to local officials who understand local issues

Failures: How can consistency be

enforced? Market-base can be counter-

productive Government controlled lands

still have the highest level of environmental degradation.

EducationEducation Return Control to Parents,

Teachers, and Local School Boards

Raise Academic Standards Empower Parents and Students Expand Parental Choice and

encourage competition. Charter School Vouchers Ensure Safety/Prosecuting for

Violence Increase Reading Programs

Successes: Foundation of what works in

education built on strong parental involvement, excellent teachers, safe and orderly classrooms, high academic standards, and a commitment to teaching the basics.

Failures: Standardized Testing Issues Will money go to appropriate

place after it reaches the state? Addressing violence issue by

transferring, does that really address the issue?

Health CareHealth Care Update Medicare Affordable, Quality Health

Insurance Protecting Patients Rights Medical Errors and Malpractice

Reform Women's Health Children's Health Biomedical Research Academic Medical Centers Medical Privacy Safe Clinical Trials Emerging threats and

Bioterrorism

Successes: America has the finest health

care delivery system that is the envy of the world.

A vision of health care adapted to the changing world and technologies of a new century.

All Americans should have access to high quality, affordable health care. With a range of options that are suited to meet the needs of the individual and family

Failures: HMO’s Rising cost of health care Creation of a class system from

Medicare

DefenseDefense Transform Americas Defense

capabilities for the information age

Align military powers with the strengths of American society

Maintain strength of National Guard and Reserves

Veteran obligations Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty

negotiations Nuclear Free Expand Trade Increase Military Spending Examine over-commitment to

peace keeping missions around the globe.

Successes: Issues of peace keeping forces Advanced technology Increase education and training Freedom from Nuclear fears of

high-alert countries Veteran remembrance Failures: Increased government spending Trade/Foreign relations

Campaign 2000Campaign 2000Bush vs. Bush vs. GoreGore

Second DebateSecond DebateDustin ReesDustin Rees

Maggie DavisMaggie DavisJake SchofieldJake SchofieldReese OetkenReese Oetken

Bush’s Personal StrengthsBush’s Personal Strengths

Relaxed and ConversationalProper use of power tieLed the debateShowed more aggressiveness than that of

Gore

Strong Words From BushStrong Words From Bush

“Freedom”“We can’t be all things to all people.”“The world doesn’t want us to tell them

what to do.”“We don’t want to be the ‘ugly

Americans’…”“Equal rights, not special rights.”

More Strong WordsMore Strong Words

The U.S. should be friends with allies now so that when we need them, they are already there.

The world’s timetable for peace is not the same as the U.S.’s timetable.

Bush: Room for ImprovementBush: Room for Improvement

Bush needed to defend his record as the Governor of Texas.– Bush needed to be more knowledgeable about

the specific numbers in Texas.– Bush should have stressed his successes as the

Governor of Texas.– Bush needed statistics of his own to verify his

attack on the national issues.

Gore’s Strengths?Gore’s Strengths?

Stated his priorities right away…education is #1.

Found holes in Bush’s leadership skills by attacking his record as Governor of Texas.

Gore’s WeaknessesGore’s Weaknesses

Gore talked down to the American audience as if they are uneducated.

Gore didn’t talk about the economy and how well it is doing.

Gore should have taken more control of the debate instead of being passive.

Gore wasn’t an active listener in the debate.

Gore’s Weaknesses Gore’s Weaknesses ContinuedContinued

He admitted to being wrong about details in the first debate.

Gore asked questions directly to Bush.“I agree.”

– Gore should have had opinions of his own rather than agreeing with Bush. If he didn’t have original ideas of his own he should have restated Bush’s ideas in his own words.

Presidential Election SystemPresidential Election System

Phil Collins

Stephen Theriault

Electoral CollegeElectoral College

Created at the 1787 constitutional convention in Philadelphia

Each state gets a vote for the number of senators(2) and representatives they have

Electors do not have to agree with the popular vote

Electoral CollegeElectoral College

There are 538 electoral votes altogetherMajority (270) wins election48 of 50 states winner gets all of the votesIn ME and NE votes are proportionally

allocated

Proposed ChangesProposed Changes

In the past 200 years, more 700 proposals to change the system have been introduced

Direct VotePercentage of Electoral votesDistrict Plan

Why Not?Why Not?

Would have to amend the constitution2/3 majority in both houses of congress¾ of the states must approve

Florida ProblemsFlorida Problems

Large number of electoral votes (25)Butterfly ballotConfusion, especially among the elderlyUnusually large number of votes for

Buchanan

Florida ProblemsFlorida Problems

No standard way to voteMechanical lever machinesPunch cardsPaper ballotsOptical ScanningTouch screens

Proposed SolutionsProposed Solutions

Standardized ballotsStandardized ways to countInternet votingTouch machines

Florida RecountFlorida Recount

Mandatory when closeBush still wonGore pushed for hand recountsCourt battle for Presidency

Media PerceptionsMedia Perceptions

Gore a sore loser?Bush afraid of recounts?Nobody wins?Foreign press mocks U.S.Disenfranchised votersNo faith in the political system

Finance ReformFinance Reform

Tyler Hollopeter

Chris Bacigalupo

Rajeev Patel

Pennie Espeland

History of Campaign ReformHistory of Campaign Reform

2000 Election: Monetary 2000 Election: Monetary ContributionsContributions

How Much Can You Give?Party Dependence On Soft MoneyPresident Bush’s Reaction to ReformBush’s Principles On Campaign

Finance Reform

Incumbent’s Win AgainIncumbent’s Win Again

Incumbents Protected2 Points To Think AboutUnconstitutional?

Do Americans Care?McCain/Feingold Passed April 2, 2001

– 59-41– For: 47 Democrats / 12 Republicans– Against: 38 Republicans / 3 Democrats

Legal Experts On Both The Right And Left Say The bill Challenges The 1st Amendment

Are We Banning Soft Money Or Are We Banning Free Speech?

TV & Radio Ad Prohibited 60 Days Prior To Election

Please Pass The Chips……

Media Success and FailureMedia Success and Failureof Election 2000of Election 2000

A Republican Perspective

Kylee Selby

Sarah Simpson

Success FailureSuccess Failure

Challenged Electoral System

Consistent Coverage Bush’s Image Challenged Exit Polls

Calling Florida Early Concession and

Retraction Saturation Network Bias Candidate Image

SuccessesSuccesses

Challenged Electoral SystemChallenged Electoral System

Can We Trust the System?Chad Who?

Consistent CoverageConsistent Coverage

“Stay with us, we’re about to take you on an exciting and bumpy ride,” Tom Brokaw

Bush’s ImageBush’s Image

“Compassionate Conservatism”Rugged Ease“I trust the people,” George W.

Challenged Exit PollsChallenged Exit Polls

Voter News ServiceQuestioned Process

FailuresFailures

Concession and Retraction Concession and Retraction

Viewer ConfidenceNews Ego

SaturationSaturation

24 hr Cable NewsOJ vs. Chad?Making News of Nothing

Candidate ImageCandidate Image

Nader CoverageAll Gore All the Time

Calling Florida EarlyCalling Florida Early

Major Broadcast News ChannelsPrompted 1st Concession

But if Nothing Else…But if Nothing Else…“Future voters should recall Election 2000 as a caution that no prediction from a blow-dried anchor or Internet

gossip is reason not to vote.”

TIME, November 2000